T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship · Bridge
"Report, the first wave of stellar drones has successfully returned and landed. Estimated time for rearming is 60 seconds."
"The combat report for the first wave of stellar drones has been compiled. Losses: seven T2 Killer Bee-class Medium Stellar Drones and one T2 Hornet-class Heavy Stellar Drone.
Enemy vessels destroyed: two T1 Bluebird-class Medium Interstellar Cruisers, four T1 Vulture-class Medium Interstellar Frigates, and two T1 Sickle-class Medium Interstellar Destroyers."
"Report, the enemy fleet has detected our position and is advancing toward us at full speed!"
The female starship crew members on the bridge were all on high alert, continuously reporting the latest updates to the Captain and Deputy Captain.
Deputy Captain Charlotte stood nearby, her gaze fixed on Zhao Wan'er, who sat in the captain's chair.
Before this battle began, Zhao Chen had privately contacted her, instructing her to fully entrust Zhao Wan'er with command authority once the battle commenced. Unless Zhao Wan'er issued erroneous orders, Charlotte had the authority to intervene. Alternatively, if the battle spiraled out of control, she could assume command.
So far, Zhao Wan'er's orders had been sound.
And now, this young woman sat in the captain's chair, her expression cool and composed, showing no trace of panic or nervousness.
She bore no resemblance to a student yet to graduate; instead, she seemed like a seasoned professional soldier.
"Begin deploying T2 Larval Bee-class Light Stellar Drones to intercept the enemy fleet. The starship will commence movement, heading toward the predetermined direction at full speed, while activating the star shield system.
Re-armed stellar drones are to prepare for a second wave of attacks." Zhao Wan'er issued her combat commands one by one, her eyes constantly scanning the data panels.
As the vicious interstellar pirate fleet closed in, the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship began accelerating to escape. However, due to its nature as a heavy carrier starship, its maximum speed was only 30 knot stellar speed.
It was utterly incapable of shaking off the pursuers.
Simultaneously, openings appeared along the belly of the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship, from which T2 Larval Bee-class Light Stellar Drones were deployed one after another.
In less than ten seconds, three hundred T2 Larval Bee-class Light Stellar Drones had been fully deployed.
A dense swarm of T2 Larval Bee-class Light Stellar Drones surged toward the pursuing interstellar pirate fleet.
At this point, the battlefield was divided into two fronts: one centered on the Zero Blizzard, and the other on the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship.
Yet, the Zero Blizzard showed no intention of supporting the T2 Queen Bee-class Heavy Carrier Starship.
Instead, it began altering its course, arcing toward the right flank. This maneuver brought the Zero Blizzard within the weapon range of the enemy fleet.
Several ships from the interstellar pirate fleet immediately prepared to open fire, but the target's speed was too high, requiring additional time to achieve a lock.
Changing course was an order from Captain Zhao Chen. Otherwise, given the Zero Blizzard's speed, these interstellar pirate ships could chase it forever without ever catching up.
"Activate the T2 Heavy 1200mm Devil Crocodile Cannon," Captain Zhao Chen commanded.
"Understood, activating the T2 Heavy 1200mm Devil Crocodile Cannon. It will take ten seconds... 10..." the bridge crew carried out the order.
At that moment, the massive bow cannon of the T2 Zero Blizzard was revealed.
"Shut down the right-side starship engine. Full power to the left-side starship engine. Turn in place. Aim our main cannon at that T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer!" Zhao Chen commanded.
"Right-side starship engine shut down, complete!"
"Left-side starship engine at full power, complete!"
The Zero Blizzard, which had been sailing in an arc, suddenly performed a 'braking turn,' its bow swinging directly toward the pursuing interstellar pirate fleet.
This sudden maneuver caught the pursuing interstellar pirate fleet completely off guard.
Zhao Chen stared at the targeting window for the main cannon.
Just as the targeting red circle overlapped with that T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer, he barked, "Fire!"
In an instant, the entire Zero Blizzard shuddered.
Zhao Chen didn't bother checking the result of the shot. He immediately issued the next command: "Restart the right-side engine. Have Zero Blizzard circle the enemy fleet at 70 knots stellar speed. Adopt high-speed maneuver hunting mode!"
"Understood!" the female starship helmsman shouted confidently.
The so-called circling the enemy fleet in high-speed maneuver hunting mode was a tactic used when one's own starship possessed overwhelming high speed over the enemy. It relied on this absolute speed advantage to continuously circle the enemy fleet. While circling, it would position itself within firing range of only one or two enemy starships at a time.
This way, it could avoid taking fire from all enemy starships simultaneously, greatly reducing the risk of being hit.
This placed high demands on the helmsman's skill. Fortunately, the Zero Blizzard's speed was terrifyingly fast, giving it an absolute advantage!
The Zero Blizzard accelerated again. The entire maneuver had taken less than ten seconds, a testament to the terrifying mobility of this starship!
Only then did Zhao Chen have a moment to assess the results of that earlier shot.
He was somewhat surprised.
While others were horrified.
The entire bow of that T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer had vanished. In its place was a massive, gaping crater from an explosion, as if it had been decapitated.
The surrounding interstellar pirate starships had witnessed the entire event.
The starship they had been pursuing had suddenly turned around, followed immediately by a main cannon shot.
Unexpectedly, one of the only two T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyers in their fleet had been taken out with a single, devastating hit!
It was important to remember this was a heavy interstellar destroyer.
'Heavy' meant a larger hull, more powerful weaponry, and thicker starship armor.
Yet this T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer had been destroyed by a single enemy shot.
"That... that's a 1200mm caliber cannon!" Suddenly, a captain from one of the pirate fleet's starships exclaimed over the shared internal comms channel.
The other pirate captains hurriedly used their deep-space telescopes to investigate.
They suddenly saw the target they were pursuing—the bow of the Zero Blizzard was equipped with a terrifyingly large-caliber cannon!
It was this very cannon that had just destroyed a T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer with a single shot.
"How could a T2 Starship possibly mount such a massive cannon? What kind of monstrous starship is this?" The captain of a T1 Sickle-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer felt a chill run down his spine.
Even a higher-tier T2 Ishtar-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer couldn't withstand a single shot from it, let alone a lower-tier T1 Sickle-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer, which was only a medium interstellar destroyer.
If it took a direct hit, the outcome was all too predictable.
"One shot every five minutes. Let me count how many there are. One… two… three…" Zhao Chen grinned menacingly, counting the enemy starships as if they were beans.